Wide Reciever Retires 2 Weeks After Signing For Unexpected Reason

If you play football for a living, it’s a good idea to get out of the game when you find your head is no longer in it. Injuries can happen in a heartbeat as it is, and the risk intensifies if you find that your mind is somewhere else. Sounds like that’s what happened for Anquan Boldin. As the Daily Mail shares, the star wide receiver has decided to call it a career after 14 years.

Boldin’s decision raised some eyebrows, mainly because he just signed with his new team two weeks ago. He was on the sidelines as NFL training camps kicked off, but he would go on to find a home with the Buffalo Bills. Boldin released a statement on Sunday night to explain what’s up next for him.

“Football has afforded me a platform throughout my career to have a greater impact on my humanitarian work,” he said. “At this time, I feel drawn to make the larger fight for human rights a priority. My life's purpose is bigger than football.”

Bills general manager Brandon Beane released a statement on behalf of the team.

“We appreciate the time he gave us over the past two weeks,” he said. “He is one of the best receivers to play this game and we wish him and his family all the best moving forward.”

At the time of his signing, Boldin sounded committed to playing out his deal. He signed for a base salary of $1.75 million, and he was slated to serve as one of the team’s primary pass catchers.

“At this point in your career, you can't get too far ahead of yourself, so I just take it a year at a time,” he said. “Once I'm committed, I'm all in.”

Just a couple of days after he signed, the club went ahead and traded its star receiver, Sammy Watkins, to the Los Angeles Rams. The club was headed towards a rebuilding year as it is, and it’s shaping up to be a challenging one.

“For me, I would've loved to have played alongside of Sammy, but that wasn't the reason I signed here,” Boldin added. “The reason I signed here is the guys who are still here. I believe in coach Sean (McDermott) and what he's doing and the direction this organization is heading in.”

No word on exactly what’s up next for Boldin, but he seems to be passionate about a number of causes.

“He added that football brings together people of different races and religions to strive toward one shared goal, and how important it is to not let your fellow man down,” the Mail adds. “Boldin, the NFL's 2015 Walter Payton Man of the Year, oversees the south Florida-based Q81 Foundation, which offers educational support for under-privileged children.”

Hats off to Boldin for a memorable career. Here’s hoping he finds success with whatever he chooses to do next, as the well-spoken man sounds like he could make a real difference.